1. Love your work! Tell us about your style:
I would say my style is very honest and personal. I come from listening to rappers like Brother Ali and Talib Kweli who were such articulate emcees but it all came from a personal place. It's so relatable and that's how I try to deliver what I do.
2. What do you love about writing and performing?:
Carrying on from the last question I guess what I love about it is the ability to say something that is going to resonate with people. I love hearing lyrics that just hit you in the heart like "man, I know exactly what they're talking about". That is how I try to write. No matter what the topic is, I want it to come from an honest place so I really believe what I'm saying. Performing is great because you get to vibe out on your songs with people. It's great being able to watch them react to what you're saying and doing. I love that high energy vibe. Those shows that make you feel like there is electricity in the room.
3. What were some of the biggest obstacles in getting to where you are?:
It sounds cliche but I think the biggest obstacle was myself. I've been doing this for a while now and there have been supportive people and negative people around through all of it. What has made the biggest difference though is my outlook. If I'm focussed and I'm believing in the vision then I'm getting things done and moving forward. If I start to doubt myself and fall into self pity then I become unproductive really quickly. It's that constant faith battle with yourself. You have to know where you stand and believe it too.
4. You've toured with some crazy cool acts, who have been your stand outs?:
Macklemore at the Perth arts festival was the biggest stand out for me. I think because I was a fan of his before he popped off in a major way. When we supported him he was on the cusp of world domination and it was crazy to be back stage watching this dude murder his set and knowing that his next tour would be arenas and stadiums. He was such a humble guy too. His whole team were humble and friendly. Seeing them all succeed in such a way and knowing it was off the back of an independent hustle was incredibly inspiring.
5. We're big fans of 'You won't be the one', what's the story behind that song?:
I wanted to write a song that unconfident people would feel like they could march into war to. It's a song for the underdog. I remember the first time I heard a track that gave me goosebumps and I wanted to write something that would do that. I think I gave that description to Jia Lih and he gave me back the YWBTO beat. i remember hearing it and just going off. I knew it was gonna be something special. The third verse in that song is one of the best I've written.
6. Favorite artists right now:
I'm really diggin' Meg Mac and Jarrod James. I've been digging Seth Sentry's new album a lot. That guy is an incredible writer.
7. Advice to others wanting to pursue music:
It's a slow process and it's a tough process but if you know you've got something then keep going for it. There are a lot of ups and downs but if you can stay focussed and keep your vision in mind then you're going to get ahead. Also for all my creative people who have the worst organisational skills imaginable, start studying the business side of the craft and learn who to speak to and how to get your music out there. If you can work that out early on then you've got a head start in the game.